Summary

Tithe barn 95m south west of Clenston Manor House.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 17 December 2015. The record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes a barn situated in the grounds of Clenston Manor Farm in the settlement of Winterborne Clenston on the western bank of the River Winterborne. The barn survives as a roofed cruciform plan stone building of 16th century date with the roofing timbers of a 15th century building. The building measures approximately 26m long by 9m wide, is of six bays with tall gabled central porches and the greater part of seven hammer beam roof trusses which are for the most part moulded and decorated. It has several ventilation loops, some partial weatherboarding to the gables, a 19th century chequered tile roof and in part has been repaired with brickwork. Associated with the nearby manor, it is believed the roof timbers, although of unknown providence, are re-used and perhaps originated from a monastic building at Milton Abbey. The barn is Listed Grade I.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

The church in medieval Britain was of vital importance in all parts of life, not just deaths, baptisms and marriages. Church services were the framework of everyday existence and the strict calendar of festivals, Saint’s Days and events laid out by church authority were pivotal. Not only were charges levied for all services provided by the church, but peasants and farmers were expected to provide labour for free and one tenth of their yearly produce to the church as a form of tax called a tithe. Failure to pay tithes was likely to result in eternity spent in Hell undergoing torment, a fate regularly re-iterated during services to ensure parishioners fully complied. The tithe normally took the form of a tenth of the harvested grain which had to be stored in specially constructed barns known as tithe barns which could be extremely grand buildings exhibiting the best aspects of local building methods and materials.

The tithe barn 95m south west of Clenston Manor House survives well and has some rare and well preserved original features including the re-used roofing timbers from a much earlier building.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No:-205796

Source: Historic England